So I was hoping to finish this chapter by tomorrow (June 10th), and I started writing this on June 3rd, so I have definitely accomplished that goal by finishing it today (June 9th).

The reason why I wanted to finish this chapter by tomorrow is because tomorrow is the anniversary of Christina Grimmie's murder seven years ago. Her favorite book in the Bible was Ecclesiastes, so that is why I am having three of my OC's read the book in this chapter along with Wilbur and Donnie. I, myself, have read this book in depth the past week in order to write this chapter and have learned so much about how to look at life. A week ago I had this pessimistic view on life and today I have never felt so calm nor so optimistic in my entire life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, even if nothing on this planet lasts forever, as my characters will learn in this chapter.

Without further ado, I pray you will enjoy this chapter and maybe learn a little bit about yourselves as well. Thank you for reading.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," nor "Toy Story." I only own Karena, Lilianna, Venus, and Justine.

P.S. This chapter was written in remembrance of Christina Grimmie, a girl who loved Jesus with her huge voice.

November 26, 2042 - Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

"Thanks for offering to drop us off at the airport, Wilbur."

"Anytime!"

"Actually, about that," Karena chimed in. "Wilbur and I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" Justine asked.

"We heard you and Lily are doing a study on Ecclesiastes," Wilbur explained. "We were wondering if we could come along with you both."

"Ecclesiastes is a hard book to understand," Karena explained further. "When Donnie told me you understood it, Lily, it made me want to ask you about it. And besides, it'll be nice seeing your family again."

"But it's Thanksgiving!" I replied with surprise. "Shouldn't you be with your family?"

"Karena and I decided this is what we wanted to do this year," Wilbur answered. "The family can live without us for a weekend. And besides, because I'm a ninja in the Hamato Clan, I qualify as family. And because Karena is my wife, she is family too."

I smiled.

"As Donatello's daughter, I will say on his behalf that he will be very happy to see you both."

We eventually got off Billie's train and boarded the plane for our flight to New York City.

"So what's the plan for this study, Lily?" Wilbur asked me.

"There are twelve chapters in Ecclesiastes," I explained. "We'll spend two hours in the morning reading two chapters and then two hours at night reading two more chapters. Once we are done, then we'll talk about it. During the day, we'll spar each other, go on patrol, do the normal thing."

"But Lily, you did say we were going to be at the farmhouse," Justine replied. "I understand Thanksgiving Day is one of those special occasions where we'd be in the lair instead."

"Thanksgiving Day is celebrated at the farmhouse every year," I replied. "We'd stay there. Though I wouldn't be surprised if my parents decided to pay us a visit from the city."

"I thought your parents live at the farmhouse?"

"They do. But the three of us always spend our weekends in the city with the rest of the family. Mom works at Channel 6 and is already in the city, so my dad and I always spent our Friday quality time driving to the city."

Justine, Wilbur, and Karena glanced at each other with smiles on their faces.

"That is a beautiful memory of you and your dad," Justine told me.

For the rest of our flight to New York, we watched a movie. Before we knew it, we had touched down at La Guardia Airport in the city. The four of us were greeted by my parents, who hugged all of us.

"Welcome back to New York, Karena," Mom greeted her. "It's been too long."

"Thanks, April. It's great to see you."

Dad hugged me and I embraced him.

"Welcome home, Lily Mae," he whispered in my ear.

We released the hug and kissed each other on the cheeks.

"And Justine, Wilbur, I'm happy to see you both here safely," Dad told them with kind smiles.

"Thanks, Donnie," Justine replied, returning the smile.

The six of us retrieved our luggage and made the trek to the Party Wagon, driving away to my childhood home.

November 27, 2042 - North Hampton, New York, USA

The four of us got up bright and early at five o'clock. It was still dark outside, but today was going to be a busy day. The four of us agreed we wanted to get our studies done.

We got dressed and walked down the stairs.

"Shall I start some coffee?" Karena asked. "Donnie showed me how it works."

"Iced coffee sounds amazing," Justine replied. "Is that possible here?"

"Oh yeah!" I answered excitedly. "In fact, my dad invented an in-built coffee bar. Give me a moment."

I took a breath.

"Lights. Coffee bar."

The lights flickered on and the coffee bar emerged from underneath the counter.

"Whoa!" Wilbur exclaimed. "Not even my dad can do something like this. Your dad is amazing! So how does this work?"

"Well, what kind of coffee would you like?" I asked with a smile.

"I'd love an iced orange coffee if that's possible."

"Wilbur, you look like someone who loves ice cream," I replied with a smirk. "I'll do you one better."

I created an orange frozen coffee with a hint of vanilla in it. I put whipped cream and some orange peel on top and I handed the cup to Wilbur.

"Tell me what you think!"

Wilbur took a straw and took a sip and his brown eyes were wide opened. He had a big smile on his face.

"Oh! It's like an orange dreamsicle and a Frappuccino mixed together! I can really taste the orange and vanilla in this. Who knew you were good with coffee, Lily?"

"Karena, what about you?" I asked.

"I love mint and I love vanilla," she answered. "Let's see what you got!"

I created a mint frozen coffee with vanilla-flavored almond milk. I put whipped cream on top with chocolate drizzle to balance the vanilla and coffee. Karena took a sip and gave me a thumbs up.

"Lily, if you weren't a singer, I'd have asked Cornelius to make a coffee bar and make you a barista. You've got many gifts!"

I laughed.

"And you, Justine?"

"What's going on?" I heard my dad ask.

We all gasped and turned around to see my dad walking into the kitchen, already donning his purple mask.

"We wanted to start our Bible study early and Justine wanted an iced coffee," I explained. "Figured today was a good day to show this off."

"I'm glad someone's enjoying it," Dad replied. "I think your mom is the only one who uses it."

"Dad, if you made it, then you should use it too. In fact, let me make you something. What do you desire right now?"

"I just want a cup of coffee!"

Dad glanced at the coffee burner.

"I see someone's started the coffee already."

"That was me," Karena explained. "And then like Lily said, Justine wanted an iced coffee."

"I was about to make her something," I chimed back in. "But then you walked in. Please, Dad, let me make you something."

"Well, if you insist, then I'll have a frozen mocha."

"Nice and easy!"

I made my dad's mocha in a clear glass with chocolate drizzle all over the glass. One I made the drink, I poured it and dressed it with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

"Here you go, Dad."

Dad took a sip of his drink.

"I think I understand your mother's love for Starbucks now," he replied. "This is amazing! Thank you, Lily."

"You're welcome! Your turn, Justine."

"I'd love something with cherries in it."

I took some frozen cherries and blended it with vanilla almond milk, ice, and coffee. I dressed it with only whipped cream and handed it to Justine.

"Okay, I second Karena's suggestion," Justine told me. "You should be a barista with your skills. How do you learn to make coffee like this?"

"Athena taught me, actually. She makes her own iced coffees in the lair. Now to make one for myself."

I made a frozen coffee with hazelnut flavoring and vanilla almond milk. It tasted absolutely perfect. Then I noticed my dad was still in the room.

"Well, Dad, we were going to take a seat in the dining room to start our study."

"That's actually why I came down. I was the one who made the suggestion to study Ecclesiastes, but then I got curious myself. Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Hold on, Dad."

I turned to my friends.

"Well?" I whispered. "What do you think?"

"Your dad's read the entire Bible more than once," Wilbur whispered back.

"But Donnie is wise and may actually contribute something to the conversations we'll be having," Karena whispered. "It can't hurt to have someone above us talking with us."

"What if we had Donnie mediate the conversations?" Justine suggested. "Like Wilbur said, he's read the Bible, so he already knows what Ecclesiastes is about."

"Okay, then, it's settled," I replied. "Hey, Dad."

He turned back around with a smile.

"Why don't you participate as a mediator, a mentor? We'll do the reading, and when we're ready, we'll call you over."

"That's fine with me," Dad replied. "Are you reading right now?"

"Yes."

"That actually works out better. I'll start making breakfast for you all."

"Thanks, Donnie," Wilbur and Karena replied at the same time.

"So the key word of these two chapters is meaningless," Wilbur started the discussion. "And clearly the author, which we are assuming is Solomon, describes everything as meaningless."

"I found it interesting in the second chapter that Solomon writes down all that he has accomplished," Justine replied. "He built parks. He grew vineyards. He owned slaves whom I have to guess respected him since some were born in the same house. He has accomplished so much to where he is the wisest being on the planet and still declares that everything is meaningless. Does that go with the whole nothing will last theme?"

"Speaking of which, I found it fascinating that Solomon says that generations come and go, but the earth remains," Karena chimed in. "And, should the earth remain for another hundred years, we won't be remembered, according to Solomon."

"That's what it seems," I replied. "I mean, sure, we read about the greats like George Washington and Queen Elizabeth, but would we actually know of anyone who personally knew them? No one ever talks about George Washington. As for Queen Elizabeth, she still has living relatives, but they, too, will die, and she will only be a readable legend like Washington."

"It's great that you pointed out an American war hero and a British queen, Lily," Wilbur replied. "And it brings me to the part in chapter two where the foolish and the wisest end up with the same fate."

"Yes," Karena said. "And that fate is death. Both the fool and the wiser die. Which then make both menial labor and pleasures meaningless."

"So I guess the main question we have coming out of our first session is: what do we do with the time that we have?" Justine asked. "We can't simply say no to doing things because we'll end up dying anyway."

"If you don't mind me chiming in," Dad said. "I remember Master Splinter telling me to always be in the moment, and it was something I struggled with for the longest time. I always thought ahead in our missions, trying to think whether Leo's choices were good or not, or trying to figure out the best way for me to take action. Unfortunately, we are stuck in this forever loop that has humankind waking up, eating, working, and then sleeping. It's a cycle that will never end until God calls us home."

"I like that being in the moment thing, Dad," I replied. "Because, really, that's the only way to live. We have today's worries to think about, but we also find the pleasures that surround us today, like the five of us talking about Ecclesiastes. God provided us this pleasure."

"That is a good point, Lily," Wilbur chimed in. "Solomon did say that he didn't refuse any pleasures and he didn't say no to the things he desired. He just went for it and had a fulfilling life because of that, even though he discovered that it would all eventually be meaningless."

"How often do we truly think about God?" Karena asked. "And do we take Him for granted? Because when something comes from God, it is full of meaning. We take pleasure in that it came from God, even something as simple as food."

"Especially on this day of thanks with all this food that God will provide us through the hands of Michelangelo, Athena, and Karai," Dad chimed in. "So you all have figured out the key word in these two chapters. But what perhaps has sprung out at you from this discussion?"

"Just live, love, and focus on what God wants you to do," Justine answered.

"If something goes wrong, take it with a grain of salt," Karena answered. "Because in the end, it's not worth dwelling over. Just give it all to God."

"Enjoy the small things," Wilbur answered. "Enjoy the fruits of your labor and all that it has produced. But the most important is to enjoy God for he gives us fruit."

"I've learned the first time and I am learning it again," I answered. "All is vanity. Nothing is going to last. Just simply enjoy the pleasures God gives us, like Wilbur said before."

KARENA'S POV

Before we knew it, there were fifteen of us eating outside as if we were on a cool, crisp picnic. All the food Mikey, Athena, and Karai made quickly warmed all of us up and filled our bellies with satisfaction. Mikey made six delicious turkey pizzas. Athena made the sweets: the pumpkin pie, the cranberry dressing, and the sweet potatoes. Karai made the green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. After we ate, we all enjoyed a sparring session, fighting each other and having fun with it. Justine learned very quickly from her peers and I noticed she was particularly close to Athena. Justine fought extremely well when she borrowed Athena's nunchucks.

All too soon, there were only six of us left when the full moon illuminated the starry night sky. I sat with Wilbur, Justine, Lily, and Donnie as we read Ecclesiastes chapters three and four. April spent her evening cleaning up the house and had gone up to bed.

"So we have an optimistic chapter In Ecclesiastes 3," Wilbur started the discussion that evening.

"Well, I wouldn't use optimistic," Donnie replied.

"I agree," Lily said. "It starts with timing: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, and so on."

"Lily, this chapter makes me think of you and all that you've gone through," I pointed out. "Did you first read this book after you killed the Magician?"

"Yes, though I was sixteen when I really first read it. I had read that it was Christina Grimmie's favorite book of the Bible, and it really gave me a glimpse into what really mattered. Then again, it can't hurt learning things twice."

"So out of all of the lines about time, which line stood out to you the most?" Donnie asked. "Karena, let's start with you."

"A time to mourn and a time to dance. I spent eleven years grieving for my mom and when I moved to the future, I grieved my dad too. April helped me heal from my mother's death. And when my wedding day came, you, Donnie, helped me realize that it was, indeed, the time to dance. Wilbur?"

"A time to tear and a time to mend. I think just doing all of my adventures in the time machine was enough to produce tears in the time stream, even the smallest tears. After I promised Karena and my dad to never use the time machine so recklessly, I realized I needed to fix it. So I went back in time to all those points of history and made it so that those historical figures never saw me."

"That is a very brave thing to admit, Wilbur," Donnie commended him with a smile. "I can't speak for your dad, but I am proud of you for not just admitting you were wrong but also fixing your mistakes. Justine, what about you?"

"A time to love and a time to hate. Both actions are hard to do. It has been so hard to love my dad after he threw me in jail. I hated him. I hated him so much, and now that I think about it, hating him was the easiest thing to do, not the hardest."

We all frowned.

"You didn't deserve that," Wilbur said. "What your dad did was not okay."

"I think he realizes that now," Justine replied solemnly. "I started a letter but never finished it. I... don't know what to say."

"Do you hate your dad now?" Donnie asked.

"I don't know. My time away from him has done me some good. Maybe it's done him some good too."

"Have you read any of his letters?"

"No."

We all glanced at each other.

"You moved here in August," Lily told her. "It's almost December. I think you need to read those letters."

"I agree," Donnie chimed in. "And then you can decide how you feel about your dad. And then you can finish the letter you started. And then it'll be winter break, only two weeks from now."

"And we're going home for a whole month," Lily replied. "Justine, if you don't want to go back, you don't have to. But if I was in your shoes, I would at least go home for Christmas and try to make amends. Christmas is the season of miracles. Maybe you and your dad can find some common ground."

"And if that doesn't work out, we would be more than happy to have you live with us," Wilbur offered. "We don't like turning people away, especially those that need a family."

"And same goes for me and April and Lily," Donnie replied. "If you need shelter, I promise we will take care of you like you are one of our own."

"Thank you, all," Justine replied.

Donnie put a hand on Justine's.

"I think your time to love is coming sooner than you think. But please don't give up on your dad just yet. Okay?"

Justine nodded with a smile.

"Now, Lily, what stands out to you?"

"A time to weep and a time to laugh. I've done too much weeping the past few years. I get kidnapped and learned about my powers, and I am so scared that I'll do something wrong. But now, I feel confident. I'm ready to laugh at the days ahead. I know I can conquer them. Now, Dad, we want to hear your answer."

"A time to be silent and a time to speak. As the gifted member of the team, I've done a lot of talking to try to impress my family. And as a professor, I do even more talking. But I quickly learned that I needed to listen to my students, too. I needed to be silent so I can learn from them to be the best professor I can be."

November 28, 2042

DONATELLO'S POV

Lily and I both enjoyed making frozen coffees for her friends early this morning. Just as we were about to start reading chapters five and six, April walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, wearing her yellow jumpsuit and her short red hair voluminous from the hairspray.

"What's all this?" she asked with a joyous smile.

"Lily showed the coffee bar to her friends," I explained with a grin. "She is amazing with the ice machine!"

"I think two lovebirds gave her loving hands and a loving voice," my wife replied.

"Would you like to try one of my creations?" Lily asked with a grin. "What do you desire?"

April pondered for a few moments.

"I'm actually in the mood for a strawberry banana smoothie. Can you make that?"

"I have a better idea," Lily replied. "Let me try making a strawberry mocha Frappuccino."

"All right! I'll try something new from our barista daughter."

Lily laughed as she mixed in strawberries, chocolate almond milk, chocolate syrup, ice, and coffee. She poured the drink in a tumbler and handed it to her mother.

"What do you think?" Lily asked.

April took a sip through her straw and gave us a thumbs up.

"I wish you still lived at home so you can make my coffee every morning. This is delicious!"

"Nice try, Mom," Lily replied with a smirk. "Unlike Dad, I would much rather sleep in when I'm not going to school."

"Hey!" Wilbur yelled from the dining room. "I respect that!"

April laughed.

"Honestly, same! I already can't wait for retirement."

"Retirement?" Lily and I asked at the same time.

"April, we're only in our forties!" I replied with a shocked expression.

"What, you don't plan on retiring?"

"I can't see myself retiring at all. Maybe I'll change careers or something, but not working at all? Nah."

April chuckled.

"I gotta go."

We kissed each other.

"I love you, D."

"I love you too, A."

"See you later, Mom," Lily told her.

"Bye, Lily, I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye, April!" Wilbur, Karena, and Justine yelled from the dining room.

"Bye, guys!" April replied with laughter before walking out the door.

"Lily Mae, let's put all of this away before we get started," I suggested.

"Good thing this thing cleans itself," Lily replied. "Coffee bar, clean."

We watched the coffee bar clean itself before ducking back under the counter.

"Well, let's do some reading," I suggested.

We read the next two chapters, which only had a total of thirty verses within fifteen minutes. Then we were ready to discuss it.

"It seems like these two chapters deal with riches and legacy," Lily started. "And the word meaningless comes up again, this time regarding riches."

"I also found it interesting that three different comparisons have been made so far," Wilbur chimed in. "First, it was the fool and the wise ending up in the same place. Then it was the person and the animal. Now it's the rich and the poor."

"Very interesting observation, Wilbur," I replied.

"I'm actually interested in hearing your opinion first, Donnie," Karena spoke. "You are probably just as rich as Cornelius with the income you make as a professor and a doctor."

I chuckled.

"Rich, I may be," I answered. "But I never speak of money. Yes, having the money is nice. But I used it to help other people. I helped Raph and Mikey go to college. I used it to transform this house. I sacrificed the rich life to give Lily the life she deserves. When it comes to riches, they come in the memories I make with my family. We had absolutely no money when we were teenagers because we didn't rely on it. We either scavenged for food and entertainment, or we asked April and Casey for help. Needless to say, not having money as a child helped me realize that life is truly about the small things, like quality time with family."

"My dad would feel the same way for the most part," Wilbur replied. "His money came from his inventions, which instantly made him rich. But like you, Donnie, he used the money to help people and gave me the best life possible. Perhaps I've been taking this for granted, because I was terrible at thanking people when I was growing up. I was trying so hard to not rely on my rich family but I didn't realize the sacrifices my dad made for me."

"The thing that really got me in those two chapters was the fact that there were people who had 100 children and when they died, they weren't given a proper funeral," Justine explained. "It really shows who relied on riches and who relied on God. Donnie, Lily, it is very clear that you get your riches and pleasures from God. And same with you, Karena. Wilbur is right in between and I'm fortunate to have college paid off because I have nothing."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked with a frown.

"Did your parents give you any kind of financial help when you moved here?" Lily asked.

"They aren't as rich as y'all," Justine answered. "I don't blame them."

"That's understandable," I replied.

"And besides, like you said, Donnie, I don't need money to be happy. I have all of you. And I can enjoy this time because it's something God gave me."

"Coming from a family with one source of income, I understand," Karena replied. "And I was pretty much alone with my mother dead and my father gone all the time."

"That must have been horrible being a kid, all alone with nothing but silence," I said with a frown.

"I got used to it after a while. Nowadays, if it's quiet, I'll write in my journal."

"Is there anything else we'd like to discuss from this morning?" I asked, but no one responded. "A short but sweet discussion today. I will make breakfast."

WILBUR'S POV

After enjoying a delicious breakfast that Donatello made, Lily encouraged us to go outside to do some sparring in place of not sparring in the city. I could tell Justine was enjoying herself, getting rid of all the empty emotions traveling through her body. In fact, Justine looked much better than she did when we arrived in New York a couple days ago.

After we ate lunch, we travelled to the lair to spend the day with the Hamato Clan. And it was a fun day. While the girls enjoyed a day of shopping, us guys enjoyed watching cartoons and playing video games. Mikey ended up making delicious pizzas for lunch. When the girls came back, Athena made a delicious dinner, reheating Thanksgiving dinner to where it tasted fresh out of the oven.

The time had come for us to return to North Hampton. But Justine was not present. I looked all over the lair for her and found her in Donnie's lab. She sat on a chair, gripping a piece of paper.

"Hey, you ready to go?" I asked.

"Just about," Justine answered. "Just making sure this is how I want to finish the letter."

"Would you mind reading it to me?"

"Sure. I have been through so much since that fateful night and I wasn't sure if I was ever going to forgive you. I have done lots of thinking ever since going to college. With the help of my new friends, I realized that you were doing what you thought was best, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. No child deserves the fate I suffered that night. With that said, I'll forgive you, but I will never forget. If you want to see me again, I need your love and compassion, something you had when you were just a rag doll. I need your support in the choices I make, even if you don't agree with them. I need you to turn over a new leaf and move forward from your mistakes like I have here. I love you, Father. That will never change. Love, Justine. What do you think?"

"You are a gifted writer," I complimented her. "I really do hope you and your dad rekindle your relationship. If not, you've got us. And I'm talking about both my family and Lily's. We've had each other's backs ever since her kidnapping."

"How did you and Lily meet?" Justine asked, now with a smile on her face.

I blushed.

"That is a story for Lily. It's too embarrassing for me to tell."

"Wait, something happened?" Justine asked with a tease in her smile. "Did you two kiss or something?"

"Let's just go!" I hurriedly replied, running out the door.

We took the three-hour drive back to the farmhouse, and the five of us read chapters seven and eight of Ecclesiastes.

"Okay, chapter seven was a super strong chapter," I started the conversation. "It talks about how the day of death is better than the day of birth and now sadness is better than happiness because it's good for the heart."

"I also found it interesting that the fools are the ones having all the pleasures and the wise are in mourning," Justine replied.

"Those fools must not have had anything traumatic happen," Karena chimed in.

"What I love about this chapter is this line: Do not say, why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise to ask such questions," Lily said. "Words cannot describe how many times I have seen something on the internet about the 1980s being a better decade than the 2020s or something like that."

"And to finish summarizing that chapter, I love how Solomon pretty much prophesied Jesus," Karena replied. "Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things - while I was still searching but not finding - I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all."

"You all have made very interesting points," Donnie replied. "Especially you, Karena. I never thought about Solomon talking about Jesus at all there. He might have, or he may have been talking about something else entirely. But in your points, how do you all feel about it? Let's start with you, Wilbur."

"It actually made sense to me," I answered. "I was raised in a happy home. I never saw any sadness in my family except for when I made my mistakes with the time machine. But no one really saw the traumas I went through either, so while my family was celebrating being alive and being their quirky selves, I always asked myself what I did to deserve being a part of that family."

"Which goes along with the point that I found interesting," Justine replied. "That the fools are celebrating and the wise are mourning, that is better to celebrate death than to celebrate birth. It's something I've never thought of before."

"Birth is just the beginning of the story for all of us," Lily replied. "Do we know what truly happened in the beginning of our lives? No. Sure, we'll get stories from our parents about our births, but it's not something we remember. The day of death, on the other hand, is not something to be sad about at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite. If I were to die today, I'd want all my friends and family celebrating my life and all of my accomplishments, how I touched your lives. I would want you all to talk about how I lived my life to the fullest. The day of death is the end of our earthly journey, but it's the beginning of our heavenly journey with Jesus."

"Lily, how are you not scared of dying?" Justine asked in awe.

"Probably because there were so many times that I thought I really was going to die, that my life would end. But I knew it wouldn't be the case. In fact, from what I am understanding about heavenly life, you don't remember much about your old life. You won't remember any pain or sadness or hate. You get this new heavenly body with a new heavenly life, one that's lived for eternity. Death doesn't exist in heaven and you actually live your life the way you've always dreamed of."

The four of us stared at Lily with awe in our eyes.

"Dang, Lily!" I exclaimed. "You sounded wise there. There is no doubt that you've not only read Ecclesiastes and understood it, but you also understand much of the Bible and of Jesus. So you don't fear anything?"

"There is one thing I fear: my dad dying."

Donnie let out a gasp.

"Lily..."

Donnie was speechless.

"If I died and went to heaven, then I would have known that my time has come. I would be watching over you no matter what, Dad. But if you had died before me... I don't know how I'd live with myself. I actually had a nightmare of you dying and I woke up bawling. It felt so real."

"Lily."

Donnie and Lily both stood up and embraced each other.

"You know how you described how you want people to celebrate your life after you die?" Donnie asked and she nodded. "If I die before you, please celebrate my life instead of mourning for my presence, because my presence will never truly be gone. You are my daughter and I will always be with you. Please remember that."

"Yes, Father."

"Life is a journey. You cry and you laugh. It is both meaningful and meaningless. Meaningless because we all die at the end. But meaningful because it's what you remember of them, even having it become you."

"Okay, as touching as this is, could we maybe change the topic of these chapters?" Justine asked. "This is suddenly becoming too mopey."

"Mopey?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just go along with it," Karena replied. "Lily, I liked the point you made about people asking about the olden days being better. I moved because of said days. Those days seemed so depressing to me."

"I have to agree," I said. "When Lily and I were both born, COVID was just ending and there were presidential campaigns going on for... people that everyone pretty much hated, including those in their own political parties. I remember my mom telling me that Disney had released a live-action version of The Little Mermaid just after I was born and there were lots of one-star and five-star reviews. The people who had voted the film with one star mostly relied on politics and social media, both of which were mental poisons at the time."

"April and I both thought the film was good!" Donnie replied.

"It was the first movie I've ever watched," Lily chimed in with a smile. "I loved Ariel's voice so much that I tried to copy it. But back to the topic. I, too, agree that these days are better than before. Then again, anyone can say that about their own times. The times really have gotten better the older the planet is, despite all the issues going on."

"There is a reason why God put us in the era we were born in," Donnie replied. "But perhaps Karena will have the most interesting point here because she was born in 1995 and ended up moving forward in time from 2013 to 2037."

"I've already chimed in on that," Karena replied.

"So how would you have felt if you stayed?" I asked.

"I would have felt empty and probably would have died early. I wouldn't have been able to imagine my life without you in it, Wilbur. And Donnie, finding out you were here was a pleasant surprise, and now I can't imagine life without you or your family in it either. It's as Solomon said earlier: we enjoy these pleasures because God gave them to us. And I have to believe God gave me all of you. So thank you for being in my life."

We all stood up and surrounded my wife in an embrace, laughing and crying while now talking about all the memories we made with her in our lives.

November 29, 2042

JUSTINE'S POV

After Lily made us all frozen coffees on this crisp Saturday morning, we sat at the dining room table and read chapters nine and ten of Ecclesiastes.

"So we have a half-optimistic and half-pessimistic view of chapter nine," Wilbur started the conversation. "It starts, again, with how everybody is led to the same destiny: death."

"But there is that sense of optimism in that Solomon states that the living has hope," I replied.

"While going back to the sense of pessimism that says, and I read, the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten."

"Now keep in mind, Wilbur, that this book was written before the Gospel," Donnie replied. "There were only a handful of people back then who actually walked with the Lord. It was hard to achieve salvation because they had to make all these sacrifices to earn His forgiveness. Today, because Jesus had died on the cross to save us from an eternity of suffering, He will never forget us. The people of this planet will, but not Jesus."

"And that is why I choose to have hope," Lily chimed in. "I always have hope that Jesus will never forget me and He'll always be with me no matter what. I want to live life to the fullest while proclaiming His name."

"You are the most Christian woman I have ever known," I replied in awe. "You have gone through so much and you still praise Jesus for being with you."

"Lily, what you said brought me back to a verse that I'm pretty sure was directed towards me," Wilbur replied before reading. "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun - all your meaningless days. Karena and I are really enjoying being a married couple and being in each other's company."

Donnie chuckled.

"It's amazing how much you don't notice the first time around," he said. "I read that verse too and I thought, huh, God is actually telling me to enjoy my life with my wife. I'm never taking that verse for granted ever again."

"And how have you enjoyed that life, Donnie?" I asked with a gleam in my brown eyes.

"I have been married for almost 25 years. This Christmas is our 25th anniversary. Now when I first laid eyes on April, I thought she was beautiful. It was love at first sight. I was not thinking of marrying her at the time because, well, we were teenagers. I had struggled so much with trying to tell her how I felt about her while trying not to ruin our friendship. So not every moment in our relationship was enjoyable. But if it lead to us getting married and starting a family together, then every moment was worth living, and I'd live those moments again if I could."

"That's beautiful, Dad," Lily replied with a fond smile.

We continued to discuss chapter ten until it was time for Donnie to make breakfast. This time, April stayed home and spent the day with us. We spent all day playing board games. I was very familiar with Scrabble and Clue. I also learned two new games. I tried Scattergories for the first time and I was on the same team as Lily and Karena. The goal was to try to come up with answers to certain categories that started with the same letter as the one rolled.

Then Donnie and Lily introduced me to Pandemic. Even though the game only allowed four players, we had made accommodations to have all six of us playing. Donnie played the medic; April, the scientist; Lily was the quarantine specialist; Karena, the researcher; Wilbur played the part of the operations expert while I played the part of the dispatcher. I had lots of fun moving people around, mostly thanks to the advice of Donatello. We ended up curing the world of the four diseases with four epidemics and won the game. Needless to say, it has become my favorite game to play.

Now, we had eaten dinner and we were back to finish studying Ecclesiastes. The past three days had felt so humbling and accomplishing. I finally mailed the letter to my dad that I had started a month ago and I started to feel better about myself and of him.

"So that is the book of Ecclesiastes," Donatello started the conversation with a smile. "So let me ask you all two questions. One, what stood out to you in these last two chapters? And two, what have you learned about yourself this Thanksgiving weekend as a result? Karena, you're the oldest, so let's start with you."

"To paraphrase what stood out to me, I learned that I need to trust God and I do not need to know the answers to everything," Karena answered. "And I think that's what stood out to me the most in this entire study. I've always asked the why questions. Why did my mother have to die so young? Why do I feel hopeless? Why am I so alone? But I need more faith in God, and that's what I got out of it."

"Thank you, Karena. Wilbur?"

"The verse that stood out today was this one: So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless. I was always anxious about getting older and I wanted to stay young forever like Peter Pan. But I learned that life isn't designed like that and I need to take growing up with dignity. I feel wiser going through this book, and I've learned to not worry about what will happen to me, because death will happen. It's inevitable. But I take comfort knowing I have a heavenly home to look forward too, and it will be more precious than anything I could find in a time machine."

"Very good! Justine?"

"You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. There are two types of young: being a child and being a young adult. I've had more joy being a young adult than I've had being a child because I had limitations back then. But what I really got out of the whole thing was that grudges are meaningless and I am destined to die. Why die carrying a grudge? Because of that, I mailed a letter to my dad and have set boundaries with him, and I really do hope our relationship will get better."

"Words cannot describe how pleased I am that you finished the letter and are ready to move forward," Donnie replied to me, showing his signature grin. "And I'm thrilled to hear you're willing to rebuild your relationship with your dad. It's not an easy thing to do after having a traumatic time. Lily, what about you? You've read Ecclesiastes before. What did you get out of it this time?"

"Enjoy every day like it's your last, and that was how Christina Grimmie spent it, but she didn't think it actually would be her last day back in 2016. I want to spend every day doing something I love doing. Going to college. Spending time with your friends. Entertaining said friends with my voice. Becoming the best person you can be. Nothing here lasts forever, but Jesus does. Jesus is the one who gives life itself meaning, and He is the very definition of hope."

We spent the next five minutes praying and then went to bed.

November 30, 2042

LILIANNA'S POV

I spent my morning practicing my siren's cry. My family was still unable to locate Krang and Kraang Subprime in Dimension X, nor could they find what was causing the sonic blasts. I knew in my soul that whatever machine was causing it would have to be destroyed, and it would only be destroyed with my cry.

I only practiced my cries at a minimum so I wouldn't tire myself out. But then I had an idea. My current career was one as a singer. I wondered if I did some sort of vocalizing that would lure my opponent out and then transition that into the cry.

I attempted to sing the most mesmerizing song of the live-action Little Mermaid soundtrack, trying to make myself sound as enchanting and seductive as possible. When I finished, I took a breath and screamed, breaking the logs we were not using for the fireplace.

"Lily, was that you singing?" I heard my dad asking as he walked up behind me.

"Yes, Dad, it was."

"Whew! For a minute there I thought I heard a siren's song."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You did, Dad. That was me. I'm trying to blend my vocals in with my powers. I wanna see if it will work with Krang and Kraang Subprime. I'm surprised how well the transition worked from my singing to my screaming."

"It's very effective, that's for sure. It'll definitely work on the common criminal. But will it work on Kraang Subprime?"

"Then we will find out. Today."

Dad put his hands on his hips and glared at me.

"You're not seriously suggesting you go to Dimension X just to sing?"

"Dad, these sonic blasts are happening all around the world. Pets are being put to sleep because of them. This has to stop. If none of you can find their hideout, then I wanna try."

Dad let out a sigh and crossed his arms.

"Very well. But you're not going alone. Your mother's going to go with you. Auntie Mona can breathe the air in Dimension X, so she'll be coming with you too. Lastly, there's Uncle Mikey, who is an expert in that dimension. You'll need it. The four of you will go to the Utrom High Council and tell them your plan."

I gave my dad a firm nod. I flew back through the window to my bedroom and found the portal. I activated it and walked through to the lair.

Utrom High Council Headquarters - Dimension X

The four of us arrived at the headquarters in Dimension X and we were prepared this time. My dad lended some breathers he had invented for me and my mom to use. Uncle Mikey had kept his own.

"Welcome, Lilianna, April, Michelangelo, and Y'Gythgba," Queen greeted us with a smile.

"Donatello told us you had a plan to rid us of that sonic device Kraang Subprime invented?" Rook asked us.

"Yes," I answered. "Donatello has taught me how to blend the sonic blasts with my psychic abilities. I've adapted a siren's cry and plan to use it to destroy the device. My companions are here with me to help me."

"A siren's cry is impossible to make with a small human voice," Bishop replied.

"Lily may be small," Mom sternly countered back. "But her voice can move mountains, and I do mean that literally."

"We trust Lilianna and her abilities to do whatever it takes to take Krang and Kraang Subprime down," Auntie Mona tried to convince them. "Kraang Subprime should not be free to roam around Dimension X after the crimes he committed against the Turtles, against Salamandria, and against the people of the planet Earth."

"Neither should Krang after all he has done against our counterparts," Uncle Mikey chimed in. "In fact, Wilbur has found evidence that Krang traveled in time from the past to be here."

"WHAT?!" Mom and I exclaimed at the same time.

"It is true," Auntie Mona replied. "Kraang Subprime technically traveled through time when the Donatellos trapped her in Turtle Prime. And because Krang was part of Earth-2, he, too, traveled in time to our time."

"All the more reason for me to lure them out," I said with determination. "Please give me your blessing to use my siren's call and cry. They must be stopped."

The council glanced at each other. After a minute, Queen stood up.

"Very well. Let us show you what we know."

Rook rapidly began typing and pulled up a holographic image of the structure.

"Michelangelo will recognize this spot," Rook explained.

"It's where Leatherhead was captured!" Uncle Mikey exclaimed. "I know exactly where to go!"

"Take Lilianna with you," Bishop told us. "Y'Gythgba and April will closely follow them in case something goes wrong."

We all bowed to them before leaving headquarters. Uncle Mikey and I got a head start and did not take us long at all to reach the old Kraang prison. There was technodrome perched above it.

"Uncle Mikey, we'll need backup. I'm going in and finding the sonic device."

"I'd say good luck, but you don't need it."

I embraced my uncle and he hugged me back.

"Thank you for believing in me," I replied.

I walked into the prison and used a telepathic scan to find the device. It did not take me long to find it, as it was in the core of the prison. I also sensed Kraang Subprime and Krang directly above me. I smirked, knowing that this was the perfect time to lure them out.

I started vocalizing like I was a disguised Ursula using Ariel's stolen voice. I vocalized the same call three times, and I sensed them coming closer to my location. Then I started a different tune, one of trickery.

"La-da-da, la-dee-dee, la-da-da, la-da-da. La-dee-dee, la-da-da, la-da-da-ah-ah! La-dee-dee, la-da-da, la-da-ah-aah-AAAH!"

I took a deep breath and let out my siren's cry, using all my might to destroy the device, making it completely unfixable. I heard Kraang Subprime and Krang screaming out of their minds as if they were next door.

When I finally demolished the device, I fell to my knees, feeling so tired I could not stay conscious.

"NOW!" I yelled.

Just as the rest of my family showed up, I passed out.

New York City, New York, USA

"Lily Mae? Lily Mae, wake up."

I woke up to see my dad smiling down at me on my left and my mom and Justine on the other.

"Where am I?" I asked with a fatigued voice.

"You're back in the lair," Mom answered. "You did it, Lily. Your siren's cry worked."

"Really?" I asked, now with a bit of surprise in my voice.

"Your cry destroyed the sonic device," Dad explained. "When we all arrived to arrest Krang and Kraang Subprime, you had passed out because you used all of your strength to pull it off. Justine had to bring you back here."

"So where are Krang and Kraang Subprime now?" I asked.

"Krang is back in the 1990s in Earth-2 where he belongs," Mom answered. "The Utrom High Council sentenced Kraang Subprime to a maximum security prison in Dimension X without her Irma body. She won't bother us for a long time. I wish I could say never again, but with how time works in Dimension X, I can't be sure of that."

"Then we'll continue to be prepared," I replied.

"I agree," Uncle Leo said, suddenly arriving in the bedroom. "May I speak with all of you in the dojo?"

After my dad helped me up, the four of us walked into the dojo.

"Venus and I had some discussion after today's events," Uncle Leo explained. "Things could have gone a lot worse had Lily not used her voice to our advantage."

"With that said, we have decided that everybody will be doing nightly patrols from now on," Venus explained. "Lily, Justine, and Wilbur will patrol Todayland every night because, as we all have learned, Todayland is no utopia. Ryan, Athena, and I will patrol the lower half of New York City."

"Raphael, Michelangelo, and I will patrol the top half of the city," Uncle Leo continued. "April and Donnie, you will do patrols in the woods of North Hampton. We had been at peace for twenty-one years until Lily was taken from us, and after the events of the past four years and the sudden appearance of Kraang Subprime, I'm not willing to take any chances anymore. It is time to become protectors of New York City and the world."